tihvaxy  of  t:he  t:heolo0ical  ^mxmvy 

PRINCETON  .  NEW  JERSEY 


FROM  THE  LIBRARY  OF 
ROBERT  ELLIOTT  SPEER 

BX  7795   .D57  M4  1898 
Memorial  of  Wm.  U.  Ditzler 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 
in  2015 


https://archive.org/details/nnemorialofwnnuditOOunse 


OF 


AYM.  U.  DITZLEE. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 

FRIENDS'  BOOK  STORE,  No.  304  Arch  Street. 
1898. 


MEMORIAL. 


A  Mejnorial  issued  by  the  Monthly  Meeting  of 
Friends  of  Philadelphia  for  the  Western 
District^  held  the  iiineteenth  of  First  Month^ 
i8g8^  C07icer7iing  our  deceased  frieyid^ 
William  U.  Ditzler. 

William  Uhrich  Ditzler,  son  of  Christian 
and  Christina  Ditzler,  was  born  near  Lebanon, 
in  Penna.,  on  the  Third  of  First  Month,  1821, 
and  died  at  his  residence  near  Downingtown, 
on  the  second  of  First  Alonth,  1897,  aged 
nearly  sevent^^-six  years. 

His  father,  a  tailor  by  regular  occupation, 
served  also  at  times  as  a  minister  in  meetings 
of  the  Lutheran  congregation  of  his  birthplace, 
which,  under  the  name  of  the  ^'  Church  of 
Mount  Zion,"  had  been  established  under  the 
ministry'-  of  his  ancestor,  who  was  among  the 
early  German  immigrants  into  Pennsylvania. 
His  father  was  strictly  observant  of  whatever 
seemed  his  religious  duties,  and  sought  care- 
fully to  imbue  his  children's  minds  with  the 
teachings  of  his  church.  His  mother  Avas  ten- 
derly concerned  for  the  spiritual  blessing  of 
her  son, — the  more  so  when  she  saw,  when  he 


4 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 


was  three  years  of  age,  that  she  must  soon 
depart  this  life.  It  is  believed  that  her  earnest 
travail  of  spirit  before  her  decease,  for  a  bless- 
ing on  her  child,  and  her  strong  supplications 
for  his  dedication  to  God  and  the  word  of  His 
grace,  were  signally  answered  in  all  the  way 
in  which  her  son  was  afterwards  led. 

As  nearly  as  memory  can  recall  a  recital 
sometimes  repeated  by  him,  it  was  in  the  time 
of  his  early  boyhood  that  there  came  a  remark- 
able deepening  of  spiritual  interest  in  the  con- 
gregation of  which  his  famil}^  was  a  part.  Such 
a  divine  solemnity  overspread  the  meeting, 
that  the  singers  in  the  choir  could  no  longer 
proceed  with  their  stated  music.  For  some 
four  years,  as  it  is  understood,  the  organ  was 
closed,  and  the  worshippers  sat  often  under  so 
holy  a  covering  of  Divine  power,  and  that 
praise  which  '4s  silent  for  Him  in  Zion,"  that 
the  intrusion  of  artificial  offerings  would  be  a 
violence  to  such  communion  of  the  Spirit. 

For  a  few  years  during  his  youth  he  was 
much  confined  in  or  near  his  home  by  a  lame- 
ness which  kept  him  from  the  usual  diversions 
of  boyhood,  and  gave  him  much  time  for 
thought  and  meditation.  In  the  fifteenth  year 
of  his  age  he  was  interested  in  the  attendance 
of  meetings  of  a  Methodist  body,  called  Evan- 
gelical Friends.   In  this  period  he  was  revisited 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER.  5 

with  a  clear  discovery  of  his  state  by  nature 
and  the  a wf illness  of  sin,  to  such  a  degree 
that  he  told  his  father  he  was  "lost."  His 
father  called  upon  the  members  of  his  congre- 
gation to  pray  for  his  distressed  bo}^  At 
length,  in  the  fullness  of  time,  relief  came. 
William  was  sitting  alone,  as  was  his  wont, 
upon  the  stones  of  an  old  quarr3^  "  This  text  ^ 
of  Scripture,"  he  writes,  "was  powerfully  ap- 
plied to  my  mind :  '  The  Son  of  ]\Ian  hath 
power  on  earth  to  forgive  sins  which  was  ac- 
companied with  such  a  sweet  heave-nly  sensa- 
tion, that  I  did  believe  that  the  Lord  had  passed 
by  my  former  transgressions,  and  adopted  me 
amongst  his  children  "  Such  heavenh'  light 
and  peace  filled  his  heart  that  ever3'thing 
inwardly  and  outwardly,  he  said,  seemed 
changed  as  in  a  moment.  So  that  when  he 
went  home  he  could  sa}^,  "  Now  father,  I  know 
I  am  not  lost !  " 

His  brief  written  account  of  this  period  con- 
tinues thus:  "My  father,  by  this  time,  heard 
of  ni}''  going  to  the  Evangelical  Friends,  and 
he  began  to  oppose  me  and  force  me  to  go  to 
the  Lutheran  Church  to  be  confirmed.  I  sub- 
mitted to  it,  but  only  attended  three  times 
afterwards,  and  in  six  months  after  I  joined  in 
full  membership  with  the  Evangelical  Method- 
ists, which  exasperated  my  father  so  much  that 


6 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 


he  took  me  away  from  school.  *  ''''  *  In  conse- 
quence of  this  I  lost  a  large  share  of  learning. 

While  sitting  before  the  large  open  fire-place 
one  day,  about  this  time,  he  saw  a  panorama^ 
as  he  expressed  it,  of  his  history  for  the  com- 
ing half  century.  It  seemed  to  start  with  lay- 
ing aside  his  crutches  and  leaving  his  father's 
house  to  travel  alone  upon  unknown  roads  to 
a  great  city,  which  appeared  clearly  before  him, 
with  its  many  streets,  houses  and  steeples ; 
where  he  would  live,  moving  in  and  out  as  a 
minister  of  the  everlasting  gospel.  All  this 
seemed  more  than  he  could  believe;  so  that  he 
exclaimed  (in  his  native  German),  ''Impossi- 
ble! Impossible!"  which  his  father  overhear- 
ing^ inquired  the  cause. 

It  had  long  been  the  cherished  purpose  of 
his  father  and  friends,  to  see  William  follow 
in  the  footsteps  of  his  ancestors  for  some  gen- 
erations, as  a  minister  of  the  gospel  This  had 
been  his  purpose  in  placing  his  son  in  such 
a  line  of  studies  as  was  deemed  preparatory  to 
that  service.  From  time  to  time  the  spirituality 
of  the  gospel  dispensation  was  becoming  un- 
folded to  the  boy's  mind,  including  the  nature 
of  Christ's  baptism  as  the  true  successor  of 
that  of  John,  by  water,  under  the  old  dispen- 
sation ;  and  the  new  and  spiritual  communion 
as  the  true  advance  beyond  the  passover-form 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER.  7 

with  bread  and  wine.  Other  forms,  like  the 
saying  of  '"grace"  at  meals,  confirmation,  and 
stated  exercises  as  worship  were  growing  more 
and  more  questionable  to  him,  save  when 
freshly  proceeding  in  the  newness  of  the  Spirit. 

One  day,  while  standing  at  a  railroad  station, 
he  observed  at  the  window  of  a  train  of  cars, 
as  it  stopped,  a  man  and  two  women  in  a  pecu- 
liar garb,  which  called  forth  his  inquiry  who 
they  were.  He  was  told  they  were  some 
Quakers  from  Philadelphia :  that  they  did  not 
believe  in  water  baptism,  paid  ministry,  war, 
etc.  A  desire  at  once  sprang  up  in  his  mind 
to  know  more  of  such  people,  who  held  views 
of  the  Christian  religion  of  which  he  was  al- 
ready secretly  persuaded. 

His  radical  difference  from  his  father's  views 
concerning  the  so-called  sacraments  became  in 
due  time  manifest.  Stringent  measures  were 
taken  to  bring  him  into  conformit}^  with  the 
practice  of  his  church,  but  without  avail.  In- 
tercourse with  others  was  cut  of,  by  solitary 
confinement  for  a  whole  week  or  more,  to  give 
him  an  opportunity  to  come  to  what  was 
deemed  a  right  mind  on  that  question.  No 
arguments,  fears,  or  persuasions,  could  change 
his  adherence  to  the  purely  spiritual  aspect  of 
Christ's  doctrine. 

At  length  he  felt  that  his  true  home  lay  in 


8 


AVILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 


the  direction  where  the  drawings  of  Truth 
seemed  to  lead  him.  He  found  his  wa}',  with 
some  interruptions,  to  Philadelphia,  when  about 
nineteen  years  of  age.  There  ver}^  soon  he 
beheld  men  and  women  in  the  garb  in  which 
Friends  were  first  presented  to  his  view.  He 
followed  them  till  he  found  himself  sitting  in 
their  meeting  for  worship.  He  was  so  im- 
pressed with  the  realit\"  of  true  worship  in 
that  silent  waiting,  that  he  mentalh^  exclaimed : 
This  meeting  is  m}-  meeting,  and  this  people 
is  my  people  !  " 

His  own  account  of  this  meeting  has  lately 
been  found  in  the  hand-writing  of  a  valued 
Friend,  to  whom  its  correct  expression  in  our 
language  ma}^  be  due :  ''Some  time  past  I  went 
to  a  Friends'  or  Quakers'  ^Meeting,  where  I 
saw  a  number  of  people  sitting  together  in 
silence,  with  which  I  was  very  much  struck. 
Many  of  them  appeared  to  be  gathered  into  a 
state  of  holy  introversion  from  every  earthl}- 
object,  and  the  countenances  of  many  of  them 
evinced  that  the}^  held  communion  with  God. 
AI}'  spirit  was  much  refreshed  (though  there 
was  no  word  spoken),  which  made  me  desire 
to  go  again.  The  next  time  I  went,  a  man 
Friend  stood  up,  I  may  sa3^  as  some  said  of 
Christ  formerl}' ,  ^  as  one  having  authority, 
and  not  as  the  scribes.'    This  induced  me  to 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER.  9 

inquire  more  particular!}^  into  their  doctrines 
and  mode  of  worship.  I  afterwards  under- 
stood that  the}'  made  it  their  business  in  meet- 
ing to  gather  into  the  name  of  Christ,  in  order 
to  feel  his  power  and  blessed  presence,  to  in- 
fluence them  in  all  their  religious  services. 
This  they  consider  a  necessary  requisite  for 
a  gospel  minister,  in  order  to  enable  him  to 
speak  in  the  demonstration  of  the  Spirit  and 
with  power,  and  to  baptize  the  hearers  so  that 
they  may  be  strengthened  and  edified  to- 
gether." 

After  this,  in  the  middle  of  the  week  as  well 
as  on  First-days,  he  steadily  attended  the 
meetings  of  Friends.  He  found  employment 
at  a  tailoring-shop  kept  by  a  party  who  had 
no  sympathy  with  his  mid-week  attendance  of 
meetings.  They  withheld  his  day's  pay,  one 
dollar,  for  every  instance  of  his  attending  the 
Fourth-day  meeting.  This  did  not  deter  him 
from  the  regular  practice,  and  he  would  return 
from  his  two-hours  absence  and  faithfully  work 
the  remaining  hours  of  the  day.  Interested 
fellow-boarders  found  for  him  a  better  situa- 
tion ;  and  he  eventually,  under  a  guiding  and 
over-ruling  Providence,  became  largely  blessed 
in  means. 

A  time  came  when,  in  one  of  these  meetings, 
he  was  drawui  to  kneel  in  the  solemn  exercise 


lO 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 


of  prayer,  which  was  uttered  in  the  German 
tongue.  A  Friend  who  understood  the  words, 
described  them  as  of  a  very  touching  charac- 
ter. Elders  in  the  meeting  began  to  manifest 
an  increased  interest  in  his  course,  by  coun- 
selling his  private  use  of  the  English  Bible 
instead  of  his  Luther's  version,  and  directing 
his  reading  in  the  standard  writings  of  Friends. 

After  coming  of  age  his  exercise  of  mind  in 
view  of  applying  to  be  received  into  member- 
ship in  our  religious  Society,  was  deep  and 
anxious.  In  earnest  meditation  concerning 
this  step,  he  would  sometimes  be  walking  in 
his  room  or  in  the  open  air  till  the  early  hours 
of  morning.  After  he  had  left  the  question  in 
the  hands  of  the  meeting,  his  heart  was  peace- 
fully lightened,  as  if  all  the  responsibility  was 
lifted  from  him.  It  was  some  three  years 
before  he  was  formerly  received  into  member- 
ship. Time  was  thus  taken  to  witness  the 
stability  of  his  purpose,  and  the  sureness  of 
liis  growth  in  the  Truth. 

His  father,  after  some  years,  became  recon- 
ciled to  his  son's  course,  and  at  length  visited 
him  and  the  daughters  then  residing  in  Phila- 
delphia. The  father's  death  soon  afterwards 
occurring,  his  remains  were  laid  in  his  son's 
lot,  beside  the  spot  reserved  for  William  him- 
self, in  Friends'  Southwestern  Burial  Ground. 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 


II 


The  innocent,  earnest,  and  devout  character 
of  the  lad,  early  endeared  him  to  such  elders 
and  concerned  Friends  as  Jane  Johnson,  H. 
Regina  Shober,  Marmaduke  C.  and  Sarah  W. 
Cope,  Thomas  Wistar,  and  Mary  Ann  Lloyd, 
who  were  warmly  interested  to  watch  over  him 
for  good.  One  day  he  was  sitting  in  the  par- 
lor of  the  latter,  when  Stephen  Grellet  came 
in,  to  whom  the  young  man  was  introduced. 
On  being  soon  left  alone  with  him,  Stephen 
Grellet's  mouth  was  opened  in  a  flow  of  pro- 
phetic ministry,  encouraging  AVilliam  to  look 
neither  to  the  right  nor  to  the  left  in  following 
the  high  calling  which  was  before  him  in  the 
ministry  of  the  everlasting  gospel. 

In  the  interest  of  righteousness  he  obtained 
interviews  at  times  before  'two  successive  Arch- 
bishops of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  in 
Philadelphia, — ahva3^s  insisting  that  he  should 
testify  to  his  homage  of  God  rather  than  of 
the  creature,  by  appearing  in  their  presence 
without  removing  his  hat. 

He  also  paid  a  noteworthy  visit  to  the  pre- 
sent mayor  of  the  city  soon  after  his  entrance 
into  office.  After  some  interchange  of  kindly 
words,  a  silence  came  upon  them,  and  at  length 
our  dear  friend  opened  his  mouth  in  testimony 
for  the  righteousness  w^hich  exalteth  a  nation, 
and  against  sin,  its  true  reproach.    iVndhe  set 


12 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 


forth  the  high  future  in  store  for  his  hearer, 
should  he  maintain  his  integrity  and  be  faith- 
ful to  the  Divine  witness  in  his  heart.  Under 
a  solemn  and  feeling  intercession  for  a  blessing 
upon  the  Executive  of  so  great  a  city,  the  few 
present  were  bowed  as  in  the  Divine  presence. 
The  mayor  has  since  taken  occasion  to  acknow- 
ledge his  appreciation  of  the  grace  of  love 
shown  in  such  a  man ;  and  the  present  Arch- 
bishop has  born  similar  testimony. 

While  a  young  man  and  in  middle  life,  Wil- 
liam U.  Ditzler's  time,  outside  of  business 
hours,  was  largely  occupied  in  visiting  the 
poor  and  distressed  in  the  slums  of  the  city, 
and  in  teaching  them,  as  he  had  opportunity 
and  message,  the  word  and  way  of  life.  He 
became  a  familiar  figure  in  these  haunts  of 
misery  during  the  night  season,  and  way  was 
always  made  for  him  even  by  the  most  de- 
graded; who  offered  him  no  violence,  but 
viewed  him  with  respect  as  a  man  of  God. 
He  was  especially  faithful  as  a  visitor  to  the 
prisoners  in  the  Eastern  Penitentiary,  and 
further  instances  could  be  recounted  of  the  in- 
fluence of  his  labor  there. 

But  to  return  to  the  earlier  period,  we  note 
that  after  his  admission  into  our  religious  So- 
ciety, he  yielded  to  occasional  requirements  for 
vocal  offering  in  meetings  for  worship.  His 


WILLIAM  U.   DITZLER.  I3 

use  of  the  Englisli  language  improved  as  he 
grew  in  faithfulness  and  in  grace,  and  his 
utterances  became  more  and  more  marked  by 
life,  weight  and  solemnity.  His  gift  in  the 
ministry  was  acknowledged,  and  was  at  length 
recorded  by  his  ]^Ionthh'  and  Quarterly  greet- 
ings in  the  year  1S67,  when  he  was  forty-six 
years  of  age.  His  vocal  appearances  in  his  own 
meeting  never  became  frequent;  but,  when 
offered,  the}'  were  singularly  impressive,  awak- 
ening and  reaching  to  the  witness  for  truth  in 
men's  hearts,  as  a  gospel  trumpet  giving  no 
uncertain  sound.  During  these  earnest  en- 
gagements and  in  the  solemn  silence  which 
followed,  meetings  would  seem  covered  as  with 
theAVingof  ancient  goodness ;  and  many  there 
were,  who,  in  departing  to  their  homes,  would 
sa}-;  ''Truly,  God  hath  not  forgotten  his  peo- 
ple!'' Especially  under  his  devout  exercise  in 
vocal  prayer,  was  there  a  manifest  overshadow- 
ing of  the  Divine  anointing.  The  holy  solem- 
nity spread  as  from  heart  to  heart,  while  the 
savor  of  strong  supplication  in  the  Spirit  as- 
cended, bowing  the  congregation  under  a  sense 
of  the  majesty  of  the  King  of  Heaven. 

The  life  and  power  of  his  ministr\^  and  its 
enlargement  was  more  especially  witnessed 
during  the  visits  to  neighborhoods  away  from 
the  citv.    His  first  travelliuQ:  in  the  service  of 


14  WILLIAM  U.  DITZLKR. 

the  gospel  was  performed  in  Pennsylvania  and 
New  Jersey,  mostly  during  the  year  1868.  Its 
progress  was  a  severe  trial  of  his  faith  and  of 
his  dedication.  Besides  being  inexperienced 
in  this  mode  of  service  he  had  the  disadvantage 
of  being  comparatively  unknown,  and  sub- 
jected to  misunderstandings  arising  from  a 
condition  of  anxiety  then  subsisting  in  our  re- 
ligious Society.  Through  all  apparent  obsta- 
cles a  way  was  made,  to  his  own  admiration 
and  the  satisfaction  of  the  visited.  On  one  oc- 
casion when  refused  admission  to  a  house,  a 
holy  boldness  empowered  him  to  claim  en- 
trance and  lodging.  Before  he  left  it,  the 
hearts  of  the  heads  of  the  family  were  tendered 
and  contrited  under  the  power  of  gospel 
love  and  faithfulness.  At  one  place,  having 
mounted  a  horse-block  in  front  of  a  building, 
while  his  companion,  a  minister,  was  engaged 
within  it,  he  preached  with  power  to  the  as- 
sembled out-door  company  ;  and  a  remarkable 
religious  awakening  in  that  neighborhood  is 
said  to  have  followed  this  meeting.  Various 
visits,  for  which  he  obtained  minutes  from  his 
Monthly  Meeting,  included  labor  with  mill- 
hands  and  operatives,  prisoners  and  inmates 
of  charitable  institutions,  westward  as  far  as 
Columbus,  Ohio,  and  eastward  to  the  sea-coast 
of  New  Jersey. 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER.  1 5 

At  a  meeting  appointed  in  a  schoolhouse  a 
man  was  present  whose  boast  it  was  to  break 
up  religious  meetings.  His  mockery  of  tHe 
speaker's  voice  was  subdued  on  this  occasion, 
by  a  power  felt  while  under  a  solemn  silence 
the  speaker  stood  in  the  midst  of  his  sermon. 
Feeling  this  man's  state  as  a  burden  on  his 
mind,  William,  accompanied  by  the  minister- 
ing Friend  with  whom  he  was  travelling,  and 
by  an  elder,  drove  early  in  the  morning  to  the 
man's  residence,  and  overtaking  him  as  he 
was  proceeding  to  his  work,  induced  him  to 
enter  his  dwelling,  and,  together  with  his  wife 
in  the  midst  of  her  laundry  appliances,  listen 
to  the  exercise  for  their  soul's  welfare  which 
burdened  the  Friends'  minds.  Before  these 
left  the  room,  both  the  man  who  had  seemed 
so  hardened,  and  his  wife,  were  on  their  knees 
with  contrited  hearts  begging  for  Divine  mercy. 

While  engaged  in  preaching  to  the  as- 
sembled prisoners  at  Reading,  Pa.,  several 
men  and  women  from  the  town  being  also 
present,  he  made  some  attempts  to  use  his  cus- 
tomary expression,  My  brethren  and  sisters; '^ 
but  felt  a  stop  in  his  mind  before  reaching  the 
word  "  sisters."  In  one  instance  near  the  end 
he  succeeded  in  saying,  "My  brethren  and 
sister;"  but  was  prevented  by  the  same  check 
from  uttering  the  last  of  the  words  in  the  plural 


i6 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 


as  sisters."  At  the  close  of  the  meeting  sev- 
eral who  knew,  as  he  did  not,  that  among  the 
four  hundred  in  the  audience,  some  of  them 
women,  there  was  but  ojie  female  prisoner,  ex- 
pressed their  admiration  at  his  preservation 
in  the  Truth.  His  only  explanation  could  be, 
that  it  was  by  simply  minding  his  Guide. 

This  quickness  of  understanding  in  the  fear 
of  the  Lord  to  heed  the  constraints  and  re- 
straints of  inward  instruction,  served  him  bet- 
ter than  worldly  wisdom  in  much  of  his  daily 
walk  and  conversation.  On  one  occasion  hav- 
ing dined  with  his  sister  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  cit}^  notwithstanding  her  entreaties  and 
the  appearance  of  rain,  he  felt  he  must  walk 
instead  of  taking  the  street-car  to  his  place  of 
business.  On  the  way  he  was  addressed  by  a 
young  woman  who,  observing  his  garb,  asked 
if  he  was  not  a  "Quaker  Friend."  Assured 
that  he  was,  she  proceeded  to  give  an  account 
of  herself  as  the  daughter  of  a  Florida  general, 
and  having  come  north  to  study.  As  they 
were  about  parting  near  his  place  of  business, 
she  said,  "  Perhaps  you  will  not  approve  of  my 
object  in  studying.  I  am  taking  lessons  in 
elocution  to  qualify  me  as  an  actress  for  the 
stage."  His  answer  was,  "Oh!  I  am  sorry 
for  that.  My  3^oung  friend,  if  thou  pursue 
this  course,  darkness  will  be  thy  portion.  But 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 


17 


^they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness  shall 
shine  as  the  stars  forever  and  ever.'  "  Some 
two  weeks  afterward  she  entered  his  ofB.ce,  and 
told  him  that  those  words  had  been  ringing  in 
her  ears  ever  since;  and  she  had  found  no 
peace  until  she  had  resolved  to  give  up  her 
prospect  of  the  stage,  and  to  devote  her  life, 
though  much  against  her  parent's  views,  to 
the  good  of  benighted  natives  in  a  foreign  land. 
At  length  he  received  a  letter  from  her  writ- 
ten in  Siam,  showing  that  she  was  there  en- 
gaged in  what  she  believed  was  her  mission. 

During  part  of  one  summer  season,  while 
his  foreman  would  be  gone  out  to  dinner,  he 
felt  drawn  day  after  day  to  go  to  a  desk  at  the 
rear  of  his  shop,  and  there  at  an  open  window 
to  read  aloud  passages  from  the  Bible.  This 
seemed  a  singular  proceeding  for  him.  He 
had  never  done  this  before,  and  never  did  so 
since  that  season.  Several  weeks  afterward  a 
well  known  Episcopalian  minister  came  into 
this  room  and  informed  William  that  he  had 
been  the  means  of  saving  one  of  his  parish- 
ioners. William  could  not  see  how  or  when. 
"Were  you  not  in  the  habit  last  summer," 
said  the  visitor,  ''of  reading  aloud  by  your 
back  window,  passages  from  the  holy  Scrip- 
tures? "  ''Iwas,"  heanswered.  "Yes,"  replied 
the  minister,  "and  there  was,  in  one  of  the 


i8 


^  WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 


rooms  above,  a  young  woman  in  the  state  of 
decline,  with  whom  all  my  labors  for  the  turn- 
ing of  her  heart  to  God  were  without  effect. 
She  would  have  nothing  to  do  with  religion  or 
pious  advice.  At  length  she  heard  your  voice 
ringing  out  upon  the  air  in  passages  of  Scrip- 
ture. Day  after  day  she  listened  intently  to 
your  readings  of  the  Bible.  A  deep  impression 
was  made  on  her  conscience,  and  she  at  length 
gave  up  to  repentance  toward  God,  and  faith 
toward  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  she  died 
in  the  peace  of  redeeming  love.'' 

His  firm  confidence  in  the  clear  openings  of 
Truth  on  his  mind,  seemed  one  of  his  strong- 
est traits.  He  must  see  a  truth  for  himself 
before  he  would  adopt  it ;  and  that  which,  the 
Witness  for  truth  in  his  heart  had  once  shown 
him,  was  invincible  to  argument  or  persuasions 
of  men.  It  is  not  to  be  supposed  that  the  same 
tenacity  of  mind  would  always  escape  a  hold- 
ing of  erroneous  ideas  or  ways,  for  he  was  not 
exempt  from  human  error. 

His  daily  vocation  was  not  pursued  entirely 
for  gain,  but  also  for  the  employment  of  others, 
and  to  give  him  a  central  stand  in  the  city  for 
what  he  regarded  as  a  daily-mission  service. 
Thither  men  of  all  persuasions  loved  to  resort, 
ministers  of  various  denominations,  concerned 
Friends  of  his  own  fellowship,  and  young  men 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER.  I9 

and  women  needing  fatherly  sympathy  and 
counsel,  all  held  by  the  charm  of  his  interest 
in  them,  and  even  at  times  by  blessing  of  his 
reproof.  Through  all  his  conversation  there 
was  an  exaltation  of  the  spirit  above  the  letter, 
of  faith  above  discouragement,  of  generosity 
above  prejudice,  of  the  heavens  above  the  earth. 
Several  ministers  of  other  denominations  are 
believed  to  have  had  the  spiritual  quality  of 
their  teaching  improved,  through  the  new  light 
in  which,  in  these  interviews,  they  saw  the 
gospel  dispensation  presented.  And  it  is  be- 
lieved that  not  a  few  young  Friends  learned 
to  regard  him  as  a  nursing  father,  and  in  the 
type  of  religion  which  he  represented,  they 
recognized  a  living  argument  for  Quakerism. 

In  the  year  1874,  William  U.  Ditzler  feeling 
that  his  service  in  Western  District  Monthly 
Meeting  had  ceased,  and  that  a  Divine  call 
was  extended  to  him  to  transfer  his  member- 
ship to  Uwchlan  Monthly  Meeting,  moved  to 
a  residence  which  he  purchased  near  Down- 
ingtown.  Pa.,  and  thenceforward  labored  faith- 
fully for  the  spiritual  welfare  of  the  meeting 
and  people  of  that  neighborhood,  yet  coming 
almost  daily  to  his  usual  occupation  in  Phila- 
delphia. Seals  to  his  ministry  were  manifest 
in  that  place,  and  the  church  was  in  a  marked 
degree  edified.    At  length,  aware  that  he  had 


20 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLKR. 


for  twelve  years  expended  the  most  earnest 
labors  of  his  life-time  in  the  meeting  at  Down- 
ingtown  and  that  he  was  now  excused  from 
further  service  therein,  he  felt  that  the  Lord 
had  need  of  him  in  his  former  meeting  in 
Philadelphia.  His  certificate  of  removal  was 
granted  in  1887,  and  he  was  sincerely  wel- 
comed back  to  the  meeting  which  had  been 
his  first  home  in  our  religious  Society.  Not- 
withstanding he  continued  his  residence  in 
his  Downingtown  home,  he  came  thirty  miles 
to  his  meetings  for  worship  in  the  cit}^  on 
First-da}^  mornings,  as  regularly  as  to  his  sec- 
ular business  on  week-da3^s.  His  service  in 
the  meeting  was  largely  in  silence,  but  digni- 
fied with  devotion  and  solemnity,  bearing  im- 
pressive testimony  to  that  worship  and  com- 
munion which  is  in  spirit  and  in  truth.  His 
vocal  offerings  in  supplication  were  notable  in 
demonstrating  the  genuineness  and  power  of 
true  public  prayer. 

Almost  as  an  evening  sacrifice,  in  the  3^ear 
1889,  he  felt  drawn  in  gospel  love  to  revisit 
those  meetings  in  New  Jersey  which  he  had 
earliest  visited,  and  also  many  of  the  prisons 
and  charitable  institutions  within  the  borders 
of  this  Yearly  Meeting.  This  service  was 
continued  at  times  during  four  years,  to  evi- 
dent comfort,  edifying  and  awakening  in  many 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 


21 


parts  of  the  field.  On  one  day,  besides  the 
journey  to  New  York  and  return,  he  was  ex- 
ercised in  gospel  labor  in  the  Friends'  meeting 
and  in  three  separate  mission  places  of  that 
city.  During  a  visit  within  the  limits  of  Dela- 
ware County,  Pa.,  he  heard  that  a  certain 
tavern  was  the  headquarters  of  a  fox-hunting 
association,  in  which  many  men  of  the  sur- 
rounding country  had  an  interest.  A  concern 
at  once  fell  on  him  to  hold  a  meeting  at  that 
house  for  the  good  of  that  class  of  people. 
Attempts  were  made  from  time  to  time  to  ar- 
range for  such  a  meeting,  but  no  way  seemed 
to  open  to  bring  about  an  opportunity.  After 
some  two  years  word  was  brought  to  him  that 
the  proprietor  of  the  hotel  had  died  and  his 
funeral  would  be  held  on  the  morrow.  William 
Ditzler  at  once  felt  that  this  was  his  long- 
deferred  opportunity.  He  proceeded  to  the 
place,  and  found  that  the  priest  who  was  ex- 
pected to  conduct  the  services,  was  prevented 
from  comin^Q^.  Our  friend  occupied  a  period 
of  the  delay  in  a  tendering  service  with  the 
widow  and  family  in  their  private  room.  An- 
other minister  being  obtained,  he  consented 
for  William  to  occupy  a  short  time  after  the 
close  of  the  stated  service.  When  the  oppor- 
tunity arrived,  and  the  new  voice  began  to  be 
heard,  all  that  could  crowd  into  the  hall-way 


22 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 


and  rooms  from  out-of-doors  at  once  flocked  in, 
and  stood  as  it  were  amazed  at  the  demonstra- 
tion of  the  spirit  and  of  power  in  which  the 
gospel  message  rang  forth  for  their  warning 
and  turning  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto 
God,  and  unto  Him  that  taketh  away  the  sin 
of  the  world.  When  he  ceased,  the  minister 
embraced  him  with  joy  for  the  Divine  visita- 
tion, the  crowd  respectfully  parted  to  let  him 
go  forth,  and  a  solemn  impression  is  spoken 
of  as  abiding  among  the  people  for  days.  Some 
who  were  present  came  on  the  next  First-day 
to  his  regular  meeting  for  worship  in  the  city, 
and  occasionally  men  of  that  class  have  stopped 
him  on  the  street  to  acknowledge  somewhat 
of  the  impression  made  on  their  feelings  upon 
that  occasion. 

During  the  period  of  these  labors  he  was 
prostrated  with  a  severe  attack  of  pneumonia. 
His  physician,  when  he  had  seen  the  fever 
pass  what  was  deemed  the  fatal  mark,  took  an 
opportunity  to  say  to  him,  "  If  you  have  any- 
thing to  say,  say  it;  or  to  sign,  sign  it."  To 
his  surprise  his  patient  began  afterwards  to 
recover.  The  doctor  declared  to  him,  "  This 
unexpected  turn  for  the  better  is  due  to  your 
simple  and  temperate  habits  of  life.  You 
never  took  alcoholic  drinks,  you  never  chewed 
nor  smoked  tobacco,  you  have  never  been  in- 


WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER.  23 

dulgent  of  appetite.  Had  any  of  these  been 
3^our  practice,  3'ou  could  not  have  survived  the 
violence  of  this  attack.  Your  pure  and  clean 
life  has  saved  you."  But  William  U.  Ditzler 
had  seen  in  his  sickness  a  vision  of  a  further- 
extended  time  before  him  which  he  must  oc- 
cupy for  other's  good.  While  never  free  from 
much  bodily  infirmit}'  after  his  illness,  he  was 
especially  a  sufferer  during  the  last  two  years 
of  his  life  in  consequence  of  a  severe  accident. 

He  bore  his  daih^  sufferings  with  great 
fortitude,  continuing  when  possible  his  regu- 
lar journej^s  to  his  city  store,  constantl}^  waiv- 
ing his  own  sense  of  pain^  and  hiding  his  ex- 
ercises on  behalf  of  those  near  and  dear  to 
him,  that  in  self  forgetfulness  he  might  enter 
into  the  states  and  troubles  of  those  who  so 
much  resorted  to  his  societ3\  At  length  a  final 
attack  of  pneumonia  laid  him  low,  and  after  a 
week  passed  mosth*  in  apparent  unconscious- 
ness, he  passed  away  from  works,  it  is  be- 
lieved to  the  rewards  enjoyed  by  those,  who, 
having  turned  man}^  to  righteousness,  shine 
as  the  stars  forever  and  ever. 

The  foregoing  incidents  in  the  life  of  our 
valued  Friend  have  been  adduced  to  show,  not 
the  merit  of  the  creature,  but  the  sufficiency 
of  Divine  grace  for  man,  when  heeded.  Not 
by  might,  nor  by  power,  but  by  my  Spirit, 


24  WILLIAM  U.  DITZLER. 

saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts."  It  is  not  to  intellec- 
tual ability  or  culture,  that  his  life  and  power 
in  the  ministr}^  can  be  ascribed,  but  it  was  his 
childlike  trust  in  the  immediate  and  percep- 
tible direction  of  the  Spirit  of  Christ.  This 
gave  him  success  in  word  or  in  work,  only  as 
it  was  permitted  to  prevail.  His  e^^e  was  kept 
remarkably  single  to  this  guidance^  in  the 
love  and  patience  of  Christ,  whose  gentleness 
made  him  great.  It  invested  and  imbued  him 
with  a  rare  sweetness  of  spirit  and  a  tender 
sympath}^  of  heart  to  such  a  degree  that  even 
the  worldly  minded  took  knowledge  of  him 
that  he  was  with  Jesus.  That  single  and 
steadfast  adherence  to  the  inward  and  Holy 
Witness,  which  was  the  characteristic  of  his 
career,  is  essential,  as  he  believed,  to  bring 
the  church  of  his  choice,  as  it  did  his  own  life, 
out  of  the]_wilderness,  and  give  it  once  more 
that  shining  place  among  men,  of  which  his 
life  Avas  an  instance. 


